raw material

Definitions

1. A material in its unprocessed, natural state considered usable for manufacture.
   countable, uncountable
2. Any physical product serving as input to a factory or other installation which processes it.
   countable, figuratively, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“Petroleum is the raw material refined into various fuels and needed for countless chemicals.”

“The three main firms […] are increasing their output capacity and it is estimated that by 1964-5 railborne traffic will be about a third greater than the 1960 figure⟳, reaching a total of something like⟳ 13½ million tons per annum, of which some 70 per cent will be inwards raw materials for these firms.”

“The assembly plant's raw materials are finished parts from Asian suppliers.”

“Teams will place⟳ all their unassembled raw materials and tools in the competition area along with two provided 5-gallon buckets of contaminated water and two provided stirring sticks.”

CEFR level